Tyler Eifert Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

Bengals TE Tyler Eifert missed the team's final 2 preseason games with a wrist injury.  No other details are available.  Eifert says he'll be ready for Week 1, but we'll see if he's practicing next week.  The rookie remains an intriguing fantasy stash but won't be a starting option early on.

The Bengals are planning to use TE Tyler Eifert "more like a receiver" in 2-TE sets this season, according to the Associated Press.  We've heard all offseason that Eifert will be moved all over the formation.  He's a serious pass-catching threat at 6'5, 250 pounds with 4.6 speed. "He's done everything we thought and more," OC Jay Gruden said of the rookie. "He's just one of those guys that when he makes a play, you kind of look around and see if anybody else saw what he just did. He's running routes and catching the ball. He's very natural at what he does. He can beat man coverage no problem. He can beat zones. He's got a great feel for the game."  Fighting for targets with WR A.J. Green and fellow TE Jermaine Gresham, Eifert might be tough to rely on as a weekly fantasy option this year.  But we're expecting plenty of tasty stat lines.

Bengals TE Tyler Eifert worked on both sides of the line and in the slot on the team's first day of rookie minicamp on Friday.  He's already noticing similarities between Cincy's offense and the one he ran at Notre Dame.  “A lot of the things I’m learning are a lot of the same plays we had in with two TEs — move me around in different positions,” he said. “Today I was out in the slot quite a bit. I think I’m picking it up pretty fast.”  A big, fluid athlete, Eifert is capable of making an immediate impact in the passing game.  Of course, fellow TE Jermaine Gresham and stud WR A.J. Green will demand their fair share of targets.  Eifert figures to be too inconsistent to be a fantasy starter in 2013.  But he'll have enough weekly upside to be an intriguing bye-week fill in.

Bengals OC Jay Gruden confirmed that the team will use more 2-TE sets this year with Tyler Eifert joining Jermaine Gresham on the field.  Cincy used 2 TEs on just 23% of their plays last year.  They went with 3 WRs 53% of the time.  Those numbers could easily flip-flop in 2013.  "It's very easy to take out that third receiver and put a tight end in there and call the same plays," Gruden said. "A lot of it is the same thing. It's a matter of keeping the personnel on the field that you want to dictate. Every year you have a draft and you have some new toys, so things change. You have to adjust."  It sounds like Gruden is essentially treating Eifert as a WR -- good news for his fantasy value.  Meanwhile, slot man Andrew Hawkins figures to see less playing time this year as the Bengals use fewer 3-WR sets.

The Bengals nabbed Notre Dame TE Tyler Eifert with the 21st pick of the draft.  It's a surprising landing spot for the athletic pass-catcher.  Cincy already has a reliable TE in Jermaine Gresham.  They'll obviously run more 2-TE sets going forward.  And Eifert can be split out wide or into the slot.  With A.J. Green as the only established WR on the roster, there could be enough balls to go around for both TEs.  Still, it's not an ideal landing spot for Eifert.  We're still sky-high on his long-term fantasy outlook, but he'll struggle to be a weekly starter in 2013.